McMenamins UFO Festival is a two-day event in McMinnville commemorating the town's famous 1950 UFO photographs, drawing up to 10,000 attendees each May for speaker presentations, a cosmic costume contest, an alien costume ball, live music, vendor booths and a parade since its 2000 founding.
In May 1950, a farming couple near McMinnville, Oregon photographed what appeared to be a metallic, disc-shaped object in the sky above their property.
The festival exists because of a specific, well-documented local incident: the 1950 McMinnville UFO photographs, taken by a local farming couple and among the most analyzed UFO images in American history, gave the town a genuine claim to UFO-culture significance that McMenamins built the festival around in 2000
Notable UFO researchers and media figures, including George Noory, George Knapp, Whitley Streiber and Luis Elizondo, have appeared as festival speakers over the years, giving the event's programming real depth beyond costume contests and novelty, even as the cosmic costume contest, Alien Costume Ball and parade keep it accessible and fun for attendees with no particular interest in ufology as a subject
The festival's timing and existence commemorate the anniversary of the 1950 McMinnville UFO photographs
one of the most scrutinized UFO images in American history
and the Alien Costume Ball and cosmic costume contest have been core recurring elements of the event since McMenamins founded it in 2000
Dates TBA · Usually May
Use the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.
Costumes are actively encouraged, especially alien and space-themed outfits for the costume contest and Alien Costume Ball, though casual clothing is entirely acceptable for those not...
Keep valuables light, follow local instructions, and watch how residents use the space before joining in.
Stay near the part of the city you will actually use, with a simple return route after the main event.
Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.
USD
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McMenamins UFO Festival is listed for Past edition: 14–16 May 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.
The festival is listed in McMinnville, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.
3 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.
Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.
McMinnville, OR
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Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.
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